Resources

With this pioneering book introducing participatory approaches in rural development, the author challenges preconceptions dominating rural development at the time. The central theme of the book is that rural poverty is often unseen or misperceived by outsiders, those who are not themselves rural and poor. The author contends that researchers, scientists, administrators and fieldworkers rarely appreciate the richness and validity of rural peopleÆs knowledge, or the hidden nature of rural poverty. He argues for a new professionalism, with fundamental reversals in outsidersÆ learning, values and behavior, and proposes more realistic action for tackling rural poverty. The book is divided into eight chapters focusing on rural poverty unperceived (i.e. as perceived by outsiders); two cultures of outsiders, negative academics vs. positive practitioners; how outsiders learn; power structures and knowledge; integrated rural poverty including deprivation, vulnerability and powerlessness; making priorities for action; reversals in professional values and bridging gaps between disciplines, professions and departments; and recommendations and discussion of practical actions.

This paper introduces a Government of Sudan project to restore agricultural production and rehabilitate drought affected areas in western Sudan. This is to be done by (i) collecting information on tree and vegetation cover, and (ii) providing assistance to support institutions and communities in forest resource management and conservation. The project's main thrust is a farmer/client -oriented, participatory approach to forestry and research. The organisation of the project and the PRA methods used are outlined, and the activities involved are described in detail. The project involved collaboration between researchers, NGOs and clients (resource users). The advantages and constraints of these linkages are discussed in depth.

Volume 2 of the proceedings from the 1990 First World Congress on Action Research and Process Management includes papers that describe case studies and experiences of the application of Action Learning, Action Research and Process Management. Volume 1 covers workshops and papers related to Action Learning, Action Research and Process Management Theory and Praxis Frameworks. Many of the case studies and experiences in this volume (2) are concerned with collaboration and group processes. In particular, they are about peopleÆs experiences of working together to create a new order in our society. Two of the papers deal with Information Technology (IT) which the editor thinks will have the most significant influencing factor in the creation of a new order. One of the papers gives a glimpse of what is to come when IT is harnessed for social change paper, through a case study on the use of computers in interactive environmental monitoring projects for secondary schools. The other paper describes an action-based approach to address IT education. The other papers cover a variety of aspects of the application of action learning and research, or process management to areas such as higher education, self-directed learning, crisis communication, organisational change, the writing process, religious beliefs, agricultural development, leadership, reflective learning and secondary school teaching. The case studies are taken from, India, Hong Kong, UK, New Zeeland, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and USA.

Effective health planning requires good quality data, but many health facilities lack the ability to provide this. Health questions often have to be answered within specific research studies. Microcomputers are now generally recommended and used by researchers for data analysis at the end of projects. The article reviews the use of microcomputer based management of data collection during a study. A selection of pojects are described, all of which have used microcomputers in a decentralised fachio, closer to the point of data collection. The main advantages of this approach are a significant reduction in error rates, and the ability to produce data quickly.

This paper starts with a critical review of conventional research methodologies, such as the social survey and ethnographic research and their limitations and biases. It then discusses the main features of alternative research methodologies, such as conscientising and participatory research and their rationale. Part two of the paper provides a detailed account of Urban Research Centre's (URC) work on participatory research and action which emphasises understanding people's situations, institutions and perspectives and supporting them. Researchers involved in participatory research have to find new ways of collecting information involving people and disseminating it at the community level so that research can benefit both the researcher and the community.